On Media

Commission: No change to debate rules

The Commission on Presidential Debates says that there has been no change to the format of tonight's presidential debate, despite a recent Fox News report claiming just the opposite.

"After growing concerns this week by some about tonight's debate moderator and what her role should be, we are learning of an 11th-hour change to the debate format," Megyn Kelly announced in a Fox News alert. "Now, a follow-up discussion will be allowed for the candidates that will be driven by the moderator, Candy Crowley of CNN."

But Janet Brown, the executive director of the Commission on Presidential Debates, tells POLITICO she is aware of no such change.

"The format that we've always had in place is the format that will be in place tonight," said Brown, who added that the Fox News report was the first she'd heard of any reports to the contrary.

The follow-up discussion has always been part of tonight's town-hall format, and is meant to be "facilitated" by the moderator. But the memorandum of understanding, signed by both campaigns, stipulates that the moderator "will not ask any follow-up questions" or augment the questions asked by the audience members.

Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding their report, which has not appeared on any of the other networks. The Obama and Romney campaigns also did not respond to requests for comment and clarification.